by Fifi Flowers
She didn’t let me go on.
“Champagne time! Congratulations! You’re going to be a success!”
Chapter Fifteen
Waverly
Oh. My. God. Morgan was brilliant! His presentation was so professional and it looked live already. When he showed his father and others on the board, they were going to be so impressed. Who wouldn’t want to have their water sport video on that network app? Sponsors would be lining up to get involved. And he hadn’t even gotten the live action stuff up and running yet.
“Cheers to Liquid Rush TV and its amazing creator!”
I was so proud of him that when we were toasting I threw my arms around him and hugged him, briefly. I wanted to hold on for a lot longer but that wasn’t appropriate. So I moved away from him, putting some distance between us. I needed to be out of his reach or I needed to move so I couldn’t reach him. He had kept his distance even if he had been taunting me using French words and feeding me things I loved.
He was showing me his business plan and offering me a position. A position that I really wanted to say “yes” to. It wasn’t that I was interested in water sports or any sports really. It was the fact that it was an adventure and could involve so much more than the computer world for me. I had been in an office setting for far too long.
I had my parents’ blood in me. Their thirst for excitement.
“Your father has fantastic sons. I know Redmond has made a world of difference to people with his business. School kids have to worship Carter for his input. And well Mason’s way of finding people to connect with is amazing. It’s so much more than a hookup site. Real questions…maybe too many, but understandable given his method.”
“You know so much about this service…because why?”
“I filled out the site questionnaire to see how many people were suitable for me.”
What are you saying, Waverly? Shut up! You are so busted!
“Why would you need a dating service when you have a fiancé? Does he know that you’re unsure about him and secretly looking for someone more suitable than him?” He was staring at me with an arched eyebrow, looking over the rim of the champagne flute close to his perfect full lips.
I was trying to figure out how to work my way out of that corner.
“It was before him…” I couldn’t remember how long the dating site had been up or how long I had been engaged. Did I say how long? I don’t think I gave any specifics about him or anything about our relationship.
“Waverly, do you really have a fiancé?” He was speaking low and sexy and moving closer to me. “Did you make him up to protect yourself from doing something you wanted to do?” My body was tingling everywhere and it was getting awfully warm in the apartment. “Was it to keep me away from you?” It sure wasn’t keeping him away at that moment as his body nearly touched mine. He was a whisper…a breath away. “You don’t wear an engagement ring.” He lifted my left hand to his mouth and kissed where a ring would be if I was really engaged.
“Umm…well, we…we were going to…to—”
I never said another word as his hands grasped my face and his mouth came crashing down over mine. I was already moaning from his lips brushing across my finger giving him full access to invade my mouth. It was amazing and everything I remembered and so much more. My arms—with a mind all of their own—reached up around his neck and held on for dear life. I was lost in a haze of love and emotion. I forgot all about anything and everything outside of that room, outside of our own little bubble. That night had transported me back ten years to the past. My Maverick had reappeared with all of his charms…
He set you up, Waverly, to get you back in his web…or harem.
I didn’t want to believe that. I wanted to stay in the moment with his tongue magically dancing with mine. Feeling his highly excited body up against mine. He was nothing like those mean girls said…right? He really wanted me… He loved me…right? Or did he just want to use me or play with me or see if he could get me back to dump me again? But he never really dumped me. Was he a game player still or ever? There was no woman in his life… I mean he wasn’t married or committed… Not that I knew of…
Letting my mind get the better of me, I reluctantly loosened my grip and pulled away, moving back a few steps. I needed to get out of there. I was either discovered as being unengaged or I was a crappy fiancée for kissing another man.
“I’ve gotta go. Thanks for dinner. Loved your presentation.” I was backing up and looking around for anything I brought. I didn’t bring anything but glasses and the bottle of champagne. Leave the glasses and have an excuse to come back or gather them and go? The latter won out. I reached down and finished off my glass and then grabbed for his and downed it too. “Okay then, I’m off.”
Then I bypassed Morgan in a wider than necessary path so as not to graze him in any way to make it safely to the door.
Just about there he shouted out to me. “The president position is yours.”
I wanted to take it and I wanted to stay, but I had to be logical. “I’ll think about it.”
Escape, Waverly! Run! Don’t let him kiss you again.
I was hesitating at the door trying to unlock it and trying to clear my head that was a little foggy from the wine earlier and nearly downing two full glasses of champagne. I don’t know how he did it, but Morgan was nearly upon me as I turned the handle. Just as I was pulling the door open and about to take my first step, he took off his t-shirt all cocky looking at me with a smirk. “Here’s a new nightshirt for you.”
I should’ve turned away and stormed off. I should’ve never grabbed it out of his extended hand and fled with it to the elevator. His sexy low laugh echoed in my ears as the elevator took me down a floor to safety. Safe from myself. Safe from his warm embrace. Safe from having my heart ripped from my chest all over again.
If I was going to take the position he offered, it had to be as we had been working before I let myself forget all logic. His apartment was dangerous and strictly off limits. He was dangerous too but I could keep my distance in public.
Washing out the two special glasses that had belonged to my parents. I realized that I wanted what my parents had as I put them away. They worked together. They traveled together. They did very little apart. I truly hadn’t thought about them or their life together when I took the bottle of champagne and the two glasses up. I just heard my mother’s voice reminding me of their lucky glasses. How could I not remember the other part that included toasting to each other?
Silly, silly girl, Waverly.
Yes, I was being silly…I had been silly. But while taking a shower, toweling off and brushing my teeth, I reminded myself of all I had accomplished in the last ten years. It was important to keep moving forward and expand my horizons. I was also truthful about my desire to try something new and adventurous. That meant accepting the new position which I could do. I could be a big girl. I could be professional. And I didn’t need a fake fiancé to stand up to Morgan.
I would stand up to him. Tell him the truth. Confess to knowing him. I was over him. The kiss was nothing. Just a…an in-the-moment thing…
Really, Waverly? Then why are you wearing the t-shirt he gave you off his body?
Ignoring myself, I snuggled down in my bed and pulled my comforter up under my chin and sighed. I had to admit he smelled incredible and helped me to fall asleep. I would worry about things as they arose. I couldn’t solve all of my problems in a night or a day. No, it would take lots of days and lots of thinking, mixed with planning and researching.
For the next few days following the night of slipping into the past, I was busy with my current job. I was focused on gathering information, business props, and contracts for a presentation in Seattle that was timed perfectly with a wedding I was going to be attending. I had been speaking with Joseph’s sons and a nephew who all held prominent positions within the Anderson conglomerate about improving their cyber security worldwide. The only one I had not spoken to was Joseph
so I wasn’t surprised when he called.
Joseph called “So happy you’re coming up. I got your old apartment cleaned up and added some new furnishings since the tenant left. Everything will be ready for your arrival along with a well-stocked refrigerator… Unless you’d rather stay at the house with us?
“The apartment is perfect. No need to have someone shop for me, I can grab a few things. I’m only coming up for a weekend.”
He immediately corrected me, “an extra-long weekend.”
True, I was flying in Thursday noon-ish and leaving Tuesday morning. I wasn’t sure when I would see him since he let other people run different parts of the massive corporation that practically ran the world. “I’ll see you at the wedding on Saturday.”
Joseph, of course, had a hand in that match-up and the wedding too.
“You, actually, might get sick of me being around.” He laughed. “I’m going to pop into the meeting, I’m still the head of the company. And what you’re proposing is something needed worldwide. I’d like to hear what you have to offer.”
Nothing like making me suddenly very nervous.
“And for sure you’ll see me at the wedding, I’m giving the bride away—standing in for her father… I hope to do the same for you one day soon.” He hesitated for a few minutes and continued when I didn’t say a word. “And you’re coming to the house on Monday for a family gathering barbecue… I’m giving you a break on Sunday.” I could imagine him with a big grin on his handsome face.
No use fighting Joseph, he always seemed to get his way. It would be nice to have him sit in on my presentation. I was excited to travel and to have my new division provide cyber security for the Anderson Corporation. That was huge!
“Now that we’ve got business and your lodging and scheduling out of the way…” The tone in his voice told me that he didn’t sound too pleased with me. “How could you not tell us that you got engaged? Katherine and I are your family. And I hear you’re not wearing an engagement ring. Did he not give you one? I need to speak with this young man. You need to be treated like a princess.”
About that time, I heard Katherine in the background. “Joseph, leave her be. Don’t listen to him. We’re both happy for you and we would love to meet him and I will make Joseph behave.”
I wondered how word had spread so quickly. I had only told Morgan. I certainly wouldn’t have told anyone else that lie. A lie I couldn’t tell to Joseph or Katherine, ever. He was right; they’d been so good to me, treating me like family.
“I’m not engaged… It was a way to put a little space between a co-worker and—”
“Thank God! You know I want to meet any man you deem worthy of your hand in marriage. He needs to speak to me first—”
“Joseph, leave the poor girl alone.” I could hear Katherine and could imagine her shaking her head. But I don’t know why she bothered to reprimand him, she had to know from experience that he liked to be involved in the romance of his family and he considered me a member. I loved feeling the love from both of them so much and I loved them right back.
The trip up north couldn’t come soon enough. It was going to be so good to see them and the rest of the family. Besides, I really couldn’t wait to get away for some time to think, without being in the same city as Morgan.
Chapter Sixteen
Morgan
Waverly had gone back to being perfectly professional around me, acting like nothing had happened between us. She could act whatever way she wanted, but I knew that we both enjoyed every second of our shared kiss. And I would bet money that she was sleeping in my t-shirt. I just wished she would talk to me about my proposition for her to head up Liquid Rush with me. I loved her enthusiasm when I showed her everything that had been roughly put together. I needed firm confirmation that she was seriously considering making changes as I thought she was.
I had noticed that she had been hiring people for project management positions. They were taking on troubleshooting more than she had been in the beginning. Yes, she seemed to be delegating more. Even moving techs from the office to working onsite at companies they were overseeing. More divisions were opening up in other cities too. Our central office was quieter than it used to be. I was certain that she was giving me minimal tasks to do so I could concentrate on my own business.
Phasing me out of her life or preparing to come along with me?
I wasn’t certain at first, but then she spoke in a staff meeting to everyone about a major client needing a great deal of attention. Anderson Corporation. I was impressed that they were going to be hiring us. I knew they had connections with Butler Industries but I knew they wouldn’t hire our company without researching us first to insure their confidence in us. That business relationship had me worried that she would relocate up there to oversee the sizable staff that would be needed to handle their conglomerate.
When she mentioned making a trip to Seattle to recruit and make a presentation, I was surprised that she hadn’t told me before. Why hadn’t she asked me to go along? There was no way I was letting her go without me. If she even thought for an instant about jumping ship, I was prepared to stop her any way I could. I needed to know what she was thinking. And I needed to know if she was getting things in shape…in order and staffed so that she felt confident enough to leave the cyber security world behind. I still had high hopes, though she never said a word.
Then again, I may have had other ulterior motives where the business trip was concerned. Away from the day to day operation, I hoped to see Waverly let her guard down. Especially when she mentioned that another guy was flying up two weeks earlier to do recruiting and another guy was going up a week before to evaluate the company. Once she finally agreed to let me come along, she quickly mentioned that I was on my own that Saturday because she was attending a wedding. Little did she know, I was going to be attending that too thanks to a personal invite when they found out I was going to be in town, with Waverly.
Days leading up to our trip, several connections for Liquid Rush TV in San Francisco, Portland and Seattle came through and I found myself flying up a few days earlier. Events and sponsorships were lining up left and right. Amazing things were happening with so many people coming on board and I couldn’t wait to tell Waverly. In fact, I took it upon myself to greet her at the airport with a sign bearing her name in my hands.
“You know you didn’t have to come along with me or pick me up from the airport. One of our guys has already been up here for a week looking at their business needs and I’ve got everything for my part ready to go. You could’ve headed back to San Diego and worked on your channel stuff.”
“First, I had a meeting this morning so I’m completely yours.” I wanted to add that I was always hers. “Second, I did need to come along with you because you and I are working on this division together…you need your assistant.” I grinned and she shook her head. “Besides, it’s important to see how you handle your presentation. It will be a learning experience. Training for me.” I winked at her. “So drop it and tell me all about the highlights in Seattle.”
“I don’t know.” She shrugged her shoulders. “It’s picturesque. It rains a lot.”
“Are you sure you lived here?”
“Yes, when I wasn’t traveling with my parents. I didn’t go to regular school most of my life. High school and college were the only full-time school experiences for me.”
“Who took care of you when they worked?”
“Someone who traveled with us, stayed in our house and handled my schooling.”
“You had a nanny? You don’t strike me as the type.”
“Oh, like you’re type? Rich boy.”
“We may have lived in a big house and had money but we never had a nanny. My mom never worked a job outside of the house. Four boys kept her busy. She did everything. We did have people come in once a week to clean but we were responsible for cleaning up after ourselves. My mom ran a tight ship.”
“That’s why you’re so self-sufficien
t; cooking and cleaning up…”
I liked when Waverly mentioned things she had observed about me because they were things or tasks she knew clearly from our brief time living together. She may have pretended or skipped over knowing me any other time before we started working together, but I knew better. Wanting her to express herself freely, I never called her bullshit—I loved hearing our life spilling from her beautiful lips that had me wanting to sample them again… Which I had planned to do again and more since I would have ample opportunities as we were staying in the same apartment.
“Nice apartment building,” I remarked sarcastically because it almost looked identical to the one we lived in. However, the view from her old apartment was definitely different. “You may have jumped from one glass tower to the next when you relocated, but wow, this view is fucking spectacular. No wonder you’ve never been up in the Space Needle.” A good portion of Seattle’s downtown area, mountains and waterways were on display thanks to a clear sunny day.
“I moved in here after my parents passed away.”
That was the first time Waverly ever spoke about them without sounding like they were off somewhere on some adventure. I knew they had passed from my father’s brief mention about her background when I had another blow-up in front of him. It was in that moment that I decided to get her to talk about them and more on our trip. What better way than to have her show me her life along with my idea to show her more of the world she missed out on, right in her own backyard?
“We’re going to be total tourists. Up the Needle, shopping at Pike Place Market, a harbor cruise so we can maybe see the Sleepless houseboat… Oh, and a bus tour so we can see where that BDSM billionaire guy lands his helicopter on top of his skyscraper and where his young naive girlfriend’s apartment is… We’re going to get to know your town.”
“You’re crazy!”
“And you love me.” I was feeling overly confident after the last few days and my decision to be bold where Waverly was concerned. “At least you have to admit that I’m a great tour guide.” Another thing I had planned; openly talking about our past together. She would remember what a good guide I was when I had taken her around the South of France. “Although, there will be no language barriers in this city…no need for me to translate French to English.” I couldn’t help myself, I was laying it on thick.
